Q:I have not noticed this but my wife claims that she has almost been hit twice crossing U.S. 280 from Brook Highland Parkway to Meadow Brook Road. It seems that those in the left turn lanes on both sides do not get red lights when the green turn arrows end but get solid green lights. Drivers are not yielding to the crossing traffic who have solid green lights. Seems dangerous and not sure if drivers are running red lights or something. Is that an error?

Traffic Mike

Once time runs out, the green arrow becomes yellow, then changes to a solid green light. That's the "permissive" part of the phase. Drivers still are allowed to turn but only when they have a clear opportunity to do so. Again, that's when clear.

The theory at this intersection is that by allowing drivers to continue turning when they have an opening, that gives drivers more chances to turn. More turning opportunities should mean more traffic can move through, said Brett Sellers, a traffic engineer with the Alabama Department of Transportation's Third Division.

The Meadow Brook side is a "protected" left only, meaning their green arrows do switch to red lights, and they must stop. Meadow Brook has dual left turn lanes, and permissive movements don't work when you have two lanes taking left turns, Sellers said.

Protected/permissive lefts are considered an effective way to lower crash risk, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Left turns account for more than one-quarter of intersection crashes in the U.S., mostly attributed to the conflicts drivers encounter including traffic moving in opposing and the same directions, pedestrians and cross traffic, according to the FHWA.

Aggressive shopping: Do you follow some of the rules of the road when pushing your grocery cart through the aisles?

In Norway, an ad aimed at being safe around cyclists also raises some good general points about aggressive driving. A cellphone-talking, speeding, reckless shopper plows his car through the aisles and cuts off others, ending with the words (loosely translated) "Cyclists and motorists have equal right to the road."